Healthy workplaces for healthcare workers has been a priority for the World Health Organization (WHO) for the past decade. Countries were asked to develop effective workforce strategies and healthy workplaces for healthcare workers between 2006 and 2015, and to make this a priority. Research has shown that healthy workplaces improves recruitment and retention, worker’s health and well-being, quality of care and patient safety, organizational performance, and societal outcomes. 1
Although there is not a standardized definition of what a healthy workplace is, it can be considered to be a place where mechanisms, programs, policies, initiatives, actions and practices are in place to provide the healthcare workforce with physical, mental, psychosocial and organizational conditions that contribute to improved workers' health and well-being, quality of care and patient safety, organizational performance and societal outcomes.1
Ontario has a Healthcare Workplace Model that suggests the quality of the work environment is a key determinant of a high-performing health care organization. The model looks beyond employee wellness to a more comprehensive and systemic approach to include human resources, quality and patient safety goals, and performance-focused framework. Factors affecting healthcare workers’ jobs, working environment, and work-life balance are still areas that need to be researched and understood in order to continue with the workplace organizational improvement plan.
Image Credit: [Ontario Health Association] - Ontario's Healthcare Workplace Model
References:
1. Longwoods.com. (2007). Healthy Workplaces for Health Workers in Canada: Knowledge Transfer and Uptake in Policy and Practice. Retrieved from http://www.longwoods.com/content/18668
Ontario Hospital Association. (n.d.) Quality Healthcare Workplace Model. Retrieved from https://www.oha.com/CurrentIssues/keyinitiatives/HealthyWorkEnvironments/Pages/QualityHealthcareWorkplaceModel.aspx
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